


A Gift, a Threat, And a Run Away Demon

by Borealisblue



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Alpha Centauri - Freeform, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale and his sushi, Best Friends, Body Positive, Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley thinks Aziraphale's body is perfect, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Titanic References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-16 04:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19310215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Borealisblue/pseuds/Borealisblue
Summary: Crowley overhears Azriaphale tell Archangel Gabriel, that he loves the fallen demon, him.





	A Gift, a Threat, And a Run Away Demon

_The Complete Journals of the White Star Shipping. Co. And Their Interior Design._

Crowley smiled as he raced his car down the central roadways of London. He knew for a fact that the angel Aziraphale had been searching for this book ever since he had caught wind of its existence back in the 70s.

He had been out in Poland to sway an entire law firm to steal from a dead woman’s estate when he spotted the book sitting on a shelf. Well, the woman was dead and soon enough her property would be reported stolen by the firm. No one would even miss the book.

The book was a detailed record of the interior design for the Titanic. Aziraphale had desperately wanted to be on the Titanic when it had set sail in 1912, but he had been needed for a miracle in Africa at the time.

He complained for two centuries afterward that he hadn’t been able to enjoy the Titanic’s level of opulence before it sunk to the bottom of the ocean. It was the grandest form of travel at the time, and the angel loved to marvel at the imagination of humans.

What he didn’t know was Crowley had actually purchased two tickets for them before Aziraphale had been called away. He imagined they could have had fun on the Titanic together, wealth and corruption normally went hand in hand and Aziraphale would have enjoyed the Turkish baths and a grand ballroom. It would have been a win, win for the both of them.

Because of the whole iceberg fiasco, which he incidentally claimed as his own doing in a memo down below, Crowley hadn’t wanted to say anything about the tickets, but he supposed since he still had them they would make a nice companion piece to go along with the book.

He could practically see the angels face light up in his mind's eye.

Aziraphale loved finding antique copies of obscure books.  He viewed reading a previously forgotten work as an act of love. His bookshop was more like a personal library than anything else. 

Every time he set foot in the angel's shop, a new wall had magically appeared filled with new books. He treated each one with extreme care, always trying to convince him that this new book he had obtained was the best one yet. 

Crowley didn’t mind reading every now and again, but it wasn’t really his type of thing. Not like Aziraphale anyway.

He parked crooked down a side street as he reached said destination.

Grabbing the book and tickets, he hopped up to the book store window. Before reaching out to push the door open, Crowley sensed the presence of another angel and stopped short.

He quickly turned. 

He needed to get out of here before he was spotted.

He had only taken a few steps before he heard Aziraphale shout.

“Please, Gabriel that’s private!”

Followed by a crashing noise.

Crowley stopped. Against his better judgment turned back around and found a hidden window down the side street where he had parked. 

Peeking in he caught the scene in its entirety. Aziraphale was backed into a corner, trying to reach for something in his Bosses hand.

Gabriel.

The elder angel was taller and had his arm stretched into the air, away from Aziraphale’s grasp.

Crowley narrowed his serpentine eyes through his glasses to see what it was. 

It was hard to make out at first, Aziraphale really needed to clean his windows, but when the archangel turned, Crowley could see it was a small white book with gold trimming.

“Nothing you do is private, you work for a higher power.” He said a bit too condescending for Crowley’s s liking. He remembered standing in Aziraphale’s place up in heaven. He had been shocked at how badly they treated him when they condemned him to death. You’d think angels had a little more dignity than that.

He watched as Aziraphale slumped a bit under Gabriel, who brought down the book and began flipping through its pages. The angel looked so small, like a schoolboy cornered by a bully.

Crowley ground his teeth. He knew Aziraphale was something of a pushover, but to see him treated this way, while he was a few feet away, was infuriating.

Gabriel was a git.

“You seem to write a lot about the Demon Crowley.” 

Crowley’s ears perked up. He stopped grinding his teeth and pushed his jaw forward in a curious expression. Aziraphale had written about him? That meant the little book had to be some kind of journal.

“Well yes, that's expected. I keep his ongoings recorded so that if he’s up to something I might be able to see the warnings in his actions. If I know what to look for, I can stop him if I’m fast enough. He is a quite a-a wily adversary.” He stuttered with a forced smile.

Crowley relaxed as Gabriel's face became thoughtful.

That made sense as a lie, but why would he keep such a record when Crowley normally told him what he was up too? Why journal at all? They had a deal and often traded miracles and the like if it was more convenient for each other. No one was the wiser.

“Says here that you love him.” Gabriel continued.

Crowley's eyebrows shot into the air. He hadn’t expected that.

“Well, of course, I love him, we’re angels we’re supposed to love everybody,” Aziraphale said straightening himself up, though Crowley could clearly see his fingers still twitching in a nervous manner.

“No. Not demons Aziraphale, they choose their side when they fell.”

Aziraphale’s fake smile fell slightly. “Ah yes, well, if it’s all the same to you, God said to love one another, and this world is about making choices. So I uh, personally am choosing to love him.”

Gabriel blinked. 

Crowley blinked.

Aziraphale stood his ground.

“Wait a minute,” Gabriel said cocking his head to the side. “You haven’t actually fallen for him?” Gabriel said with a tight chuckle.

“Oh well now, I don’t believe that’s of any concern,” Aziraphale said stuttering. “Like I said he’s a wily, wily, demon and I’m an angel. We are naturally heredity enemies.”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. He suddenly thrust out his hand and grabbed Aziraphale by the necktie, shoving him against the bookshelves. 

“Aziraphale, you’re not denying it.” He said his head tilting down and his light voice dipping a bit.

Crowley had never needed to breathe like a regular human but if he had, he would have held his breath. Aziraphale loved many things. One might even say thoughtlessly. Old books, good food, terrible dances. But was it possible for Aziraphale to feel something deeper for him?

He could admit to himself that over the years the angel and he had grown almost fond of each other. They certainly liked each other’s company. And yes to a certain extent he could admit that the angel's benevolent smile did things to his heart. But love? True it was an angels job to love everybody, but he had never expected Aziraphale to ever admit such emotion towards him. 

Aziraphale physically swallowed under Gabriel’s hand, squirming uncomfortably as his boss leaned in.

“I would watch your back if I was you. You may have changed while living on earth, but remember, you’re still one of us. Don’t be messing around with that demon, he will betray you. It’s in his nature.”

Aziraphale nodded properly intimidated. “Yes, quite right.”

Gabriel’s ever-present smile turned into a frown. His eyes seemed to burn with power as he scowled down at his subordinate. “Listen,” he began in a harsh whisper, “I don’t know what game you think you’re playing, but if you continue to love the demon Crawling, then I will be forced to label you compromised and have you replaced. Micheal has been wanting to spend some more time on earth, maybe she’ll have a job waiting for her. Understand?”

Gabriel let go, and Aziraphale stumbled trying to right himself.

His face morphed back into a standard pleasant smile. “Now let’s put all of this unpleasantness behind us. We wouldn’t want to bring any of this up with the big boss would we?” He scrunched his nose to emphasize his words.

“Oh no. There’s certainly no need for that.” Aziraphale mumbled.

“Excellent!” He beamed, throwing the small white book onto the floor. “Here’s your next duty roster. You’re needed over at a children’s hospital for the next week.” He pulled a clipboard out of thin air.

“Oh yes, um how lovely, I will get right on it then, shall I?” 

Gabriel went to hand him the roster but paused before he actually handed it over, “And Aziraphale,” 

“Yes?”

Gabriel looked down at Aziraphale’s body in a disgusted manner. “Lose the gut. We talked about this. You’re a representative down here. Try and look the part.”

“Ah,” Aziraphale said sadly. “Yes, I understand.”

Gabriel finally handed him the roster and vanished.

As soon as he was gone Aziraphale straightened himself properly and leaned over to pick up the little white book.

“Oh dear, oh dear he’s gone and ripped some of your pages.” Aziraphale cried despondently. He swished his hand, and the book was presumably fixed. “There,” He said patting the cover. “All better, even though I suppose I still know you have the torn pages.” He sighed heavily but smiled as he placed the book behind a shelf Crowley had never noticed before.  
Aziraphale nodded to himself and walked further back into the store out of sight.

Crowley stepped back from the window. He had so many emotions swirling around in him he couldn’t really think straight. 

He hated how the other angels treated Aziraphale. They treated him like garbage. Completely different, like an outcast, and Crowley suspected it was because they just didn’t understand him. They couldn’t understand for themselves just how valuable Aziraphale actually was.

His feet carried him up to the front of the bookshop. The sign said closed but he pushed the door open anyway.

The little bell above the door announced his arrival.

He stood there unmoving. His eyes wandered over the quiet space. It was hard to believe that just a few moments ago his best friend had been threatened by his boss.

He could not have Aziraphale replaced by that snobby uptight Micheal. The very thought was obtuse. Perhaps they should take a break from seeing each other for a few years.

The very object of his thoughts reappeared from the back.

“I’m very sorry but we are closed right-, Oh Crowley!” His eyes lit up and that brilliant smile of his beamed from his face. He was beautiful.

You would have never known that he had just been harassed about the very thing he was doing now. Treating Crowley as an equal.

“When did you get into town? I thought you were in Poland. You should have called first.” He chided without any real heat. “Well, now that you’re here would you like to have some tea? Or perhaps if you’re hungry I know a delightful little sushi place that popped up while you were out of town.”

His eyes scanned Crowley's face and his smile faulted. “Crowley? What’s wrong? Are you alright?” He closed the gap between them and fretted like a mother over a child who had scraped their knee.

“Crowley?”

Crowley snapped out his reprieve. “Here,” he grunted as he flippantly tossed the book into Aziraphale’s surprised arms. “Got you a book.” 

Confused Aziraphale turned the book around in his arms and read the title.

“The complete journals of the White Star Shipping. Co. and their interior design. Oh!  
Oh, how marvelous!” He held the book from his body as if someone had handed him a gold prize. “I have desperately trying to get my hands on this book for forever! Wherever did you find this!”

“Poland.”

“Ah yes of course how silly of me, you um, you didn’t steal this did you?”

“Owners dead.” He drawled.

“Ah.” He said nodding vigorously as that explained everything.

Aziraphale reverently thumbed through the first pages, making delighted little noises, while he stepped over to a table where a lamp suddenly flicked on. 

His body was glowing, something he only did when he was truly happy. Leave it up to an old, dried out book, to do the trick.

Crowley frowned. How did he tell Aziraphale that they should separate for a few years without letting him know that he had overheard his and Gabriel's conversation?

Feeding him would definitely put him in a great mood on top of the gift of the book.

“But it won’t be free. Not for you anyway.”

Aziraphale looked at him and cocked his head to the side. “Oh, um do you require compensation?” He asked innocently.

“Nah.” He shook his head nonchalantly. “I’ll charge you a meal. Let’s go have lunch at that sushi place you mentioned.”

If the angel was glowing before, he was practically radiating pure light now. Crowley’s chest tightened and he tried to feel annoyed. It was just lunch. There was no need to gleam like that.

“Calm the light show.” He said turning away heading towards the door. “Let's go.”

Aziraphale’s face sobered up as he looked down at himself. “Ah!” He exclaimed embarrassed patting his clothes down. 

After locking up his shop Aziraphale lead the way to the new sushi place on foot.

“You know Crowley, while you were away Shakespeare in the park has come to town and I thought you might want to go together. They are performing Twelfth night and then Hamlet later on in the week. We could go for old times sake.” Aziraphale asked hopefully.

Crowley frowned. After this lunch, he planned on making himself scarce for the next few years.

He shook his head noncommittally, with a shrug as he walked. “Uh, I might be busy...” he trailed off hoping Aziraphale would take his reluctantly as a sign of his new schedule.

They had been left alone for a few months after the whole Armageddon debacle but all to soon their sides had started assigning good and evil deeds again as if nothing had happened.

This made Crowley feel terrible. He had told Aziraphale that it was just the two of them against everybody else, and now he was ready to disappear for the sake of saving Aziraphale’s job. Of course, he wouldn’t know that it would just appear to him that Crowley had suddenly changed his mind. Betrayed him, just like Gabriel said he would. 

At least he was living up to someone’s expectations.

“Here it is,” Aziraphale said excitedly as they stopped in front of a small red and black shop with Japanese lettering in the window. They walked in and the employees all turned to greet Aziraphale as they walked in.

Crowley lifted a brow. Just how many times had Aziraphale been here?

They walked over to a long bar and sat down. Aziraphale clamped his hands together in delight. “Pick out anything you want, it’s my treat.”

The concept of eating never really appealed to Crowley, he did indulge from time to time when he ate with Aziraphale but he was much more partial to good alcohol than anything else.

Aziraphale, on the other hand, didn’t just consume food, he savored it like it was going out style. The angel always hummed in delight when he ate  
anything he dubbed “scrumptious”, and he dubbed everything scrumptious.

He enjoyed watching Aziraphale eat. And he enjoyed treating him to a meal. There was something really fulfilling when he indulged Aziraphale. If anyone ever watched their interactions, they might say that Crowley somewhat spoiled the angel.

“You order for me.” He said not really caring what he got.

“You know there’s this sushi roll called the devil's tongue. It’s quite spicy but very good with ginger. I think you might like it.” He smiled before he waved over an employee and ordered in Japanese.

Show off.

It had been a while since Crowley had spoken any Japanese, so he could only make out a few words.

They sat in silence and waited for their food. Crowley’s eyes skimmed over Aziraphale. It was actually incredible how he could sit there looking so excited, for raw fish.

He would miss that. He would miss Aziraphale deeply. Where could he actually go? If he stayed on earth he would be tempted to return or reach out to him. So Alpha Centauri? He could live up there for a while with a single bottle of alcohol, getting drunk over and over again until the 25th century.

A long thin plate appeared in front of him with 6 large pieces of a roll cut selectively and drizzled in some kind of sauce.

It looked extravagant.

He glanced over to Aziraphale who was also receiving his order.

Crowley frowned. It was the most simplistic plate of sushi he had ever seen placed in front of Aziraphale. Small pieces of rice and seaweed.

“Dig in,” Aziraphale said with a jovially.

“Wait,” He demanded, stopping a pair of chopsticks in Aziraphale’s hand from touching the food. “Why are you eating that?”

Aziraphale looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“That! That!” Crowley said pointing. “Why are you eating that!”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Where’s the pizzazz? Where’s the extravagance? Where’s your soy sauce?”

“Well” Aziraphale laughed awkwardly, patting his stomach, “I suppose I thought I ought to cut down on the extravagant lunches a bit, I am a representative of heaven after all.” He joked lightly, but Crowley narrowed his eyes. He knew better. 

Anger and irritation flared within his chest.

“No,” Crowley said, a bit too harshly.  
Aziraphale looked at him shocked.

Crowley waved his hand and the dish was gone.

“My lunch!” Aziraphale gasped looking around quickly to see if anyone had noticed his plate disappear. “Crowley what did you do with my lunch?” He whispered.

“It’s gone.” Crowley hissed. “Dumped into the middle of the ocean, let a whale eat it.”

“Crowley whales only eat krill. What on earth has gotten into you?”

Crowley scowled, “Aziraphale nothing, and I mean nothing, is wrong with your figure.”

Aziraphale fell quiet. “You don’t think I need to lose weight? Or that I’m...well...soft?”

“No! You look just fine.”

A small smile lit the angels face, relief was palatable in his eyes. “That’s very... kind of you to say.”

Crowley grunted. He wasn’t being kind. Demons weren’t kind. He was being truthful. He aggressively pushed his own plate in between them. “Eat” he commanded.

Aziraphale’s eyes flicked over him uncertainly, before he hesitantly lifted a roll to his mouth with his chopsticks.

Crowley mirrored his actions and picked up a piece and ate. He couldn’t taste anything he was so mad. Aziraphale didn’t deserve to feel bad about his body. He had been taking care of it for 6000 years. Granted he had been discorporated briefly before Adam had given him back his body, but nobody really knew that besides a bunch of nobody angels. No one really important knew.

Some of his anger dissipated when he saw delight fill Aziraphale’s eyes. He had brought him here to put him a good mood after all.

He seemed still so... innocent somehow. Still vulnerable to the world around him. When Crowley left, who would take care of him? Make sure he stayed out of trouble?

Crowley swallowed and took another piece. He could tell Aziraphale was watching him curiously but he didn’t comment.

They finished the dish together quickly and Aziraphale paid the tab, plus a little extra for the missing plate.

They left the restaurant and Aziraphale began to head off in the direction of his Bookshop.

“Aziraphale,” Crowley called after him. Surprised to find Crowley hadn’t been flowing him he turned around and came back.

This was gonna hurt him worse than holy water.

“Let’s take a walk.” He said casually. And turned in a different direction knowing the angel would follow. They walked for a long time before they came to a stop under a gazebo. The same one they used as a meet-up spot sometimes. 

The same one they had said goodbye in previously. 

He guessed he had come here subconsciously. This was a good place for goodbyes.

“Crowley you’re frightening me. What’s going on.” Aziraphale said, fretting with his fingers.

“I don’t think we should spend any more time together. It might have unforeseen consequences.”

Aziraphale stepped back a bit shocked. “Where’s this coming from?”

“Look now that things are sorta back to normal on both our ends we don’t want to be caught being seen together.”

“But, we have always seen each other, even before the apocalypse. We will just have to continue being careful, that’s all.”

Crowley pinched his lips together before he continued, “Angel, we are at more of a risk now. Before, our head offices hardly ever checked in. Now, what if it’s discovered we are partial to one another? Hmm? What then? We could suffer a loss of our jobs.”

“The loss of our-“ Aziraphale’s brows suddenly lifted “You must have overheard the conversation between me and Gabriel then.” He murmured quietly. “You’re trying to protect me.” He accused, realization dawning over his features.

Was he so transparent?

“Listen, angel, it’s best if you stay away from me. Gabriel is right. I will betray you, it’s in my nature. There’s a second part to your gift inside the book I got you. It will be a nice farewell present. I don’t want you to lose your job. You love earth even more than me I think. You deserve to be here not Micheal. So this is goodbye.”

Aziraphale shook his head in disbelief. “Crowley what in heaven’s name-“

“Oh and angel,” his words twisted in his throat, “I love you too.”

This was too painful. Crowley turned away before tears could betray him, and he vanished.

Three blocks away a very expensive bottle of wine disappeared from a create off the face of the earth. Both it and the demon were gone.

Aziraphale stood there gawking. What had just happened?

***

Crowley was drunk. 

Hidden in a spiritual plane between existence and reality, a pocket of space existed within his favorite Star. One he had crafted himself, you know, before the fall.

He was floating about with no real direction. His black wings were outstretched, and gently moving, almost rowing him in the air.

He took another swig of the bottle in his hand.

Tears that leaked from his eyes, lifted from his skin and flew away from him.

“This isn’t so bad.” He slurred to himself.

“This is better than the earth, more open!” He cried trusting his arms out. "No more traffic, or whales, or humans, or whales or-“

“Me.”

Crowley’s head whipped around and saw Aziraphale floating next to him.

There was a beat of silence before Crowley reacted.

“Naahhhhh, you’re not really here! Although my imagination is doing a bang up job, you look just like him!” Crowley scrunched his face up and brought the wine bottle to his eyes. “Either that or this bottle is even more excellent than I thought.”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale said in a strong tone, “I really am here.”

Crowley pulled his head back looking Aziraphale up and down. “Well, that’s not posi-pos-possible. You don’t even know where this is. I never showed anyone this place!” He said pointing at the angel as his body floated off in a different direction.

The angel gave a soft smile. “Actually I approved this place. I was on the committee that authorized this Star system. You know before I was placed on Appletree duty. I, however, didn’t know you had been the one who helped create it. I found this anomaly of space but hid it from the inspection team.”

Crowley’s face was the epitome of confused. “W-why?” He hiccuped. “If you are the real Aziraphale, why ignore a mistake that wasn’t on the approved instructions?”

Aziraphale looked around at the space, “I quite liked it. It was unquestionably unique.”

Crowley’s body had floated upside down and he took another swig of alcohol. 

Aziraphale softly pumped his wings and rose up to meet Crowley.

“Come back to earth Crowley. Please.”

Crowley looked sober at that moment. He removed his glasses and stared. “You really are here.”

“Yes. I missed my best friend.”

Crowley reached out and drunkenly grabbed him into a hug. “You’re my best friend too.”

They held each other floating in space. 

“You know you shouldn’t be afraid of the other angels. I won’t lose my job. Gabriel just says that because he thinks it scares me. When in reality I know for a fact that the others absolutely hate the idea of living on earth. I’m confident enough to say that you’re stuck with me till the end of time.”

“Gabriel’s a twit,” Crowley commented into Aziraphale’s neck.

“Gabriel May have his pitfalls, but he’s just trying to do what he thinks is best for the ineffable plan.”

“That includes almost putting you to death? Threatening your job and insulting your appearance?”

Aziraphale patted Crowley’s neck softly. “They are not my favorite methods but sometimes there must be someone willing to make the hard decisions, to do whatever it takes to see things through.”

“You’re a too forgiving angel.”

“That’s what angels are supposed to do.”

Crowley squeezed him tightly. His angel was to kind. To understanding. Nobody deserved him.

“I almost forgot. I have something for you.”

Aziraphale gently broke free from Crowley’s grasp and pulled something out of his vest pocket.

Tickets. Crowley squinted before taking them. “Angel I gave these to you.”

Aziraphale smiled kindly. “Actually these are mine. When I heard about the Titanic, I immediately bought us two tickets. What goes better than corruption and wealth? Temptation's for you and amazing Turkish baths for me. I thought we might enjoy ourselves together.”

“That’s what I thought!” Crowley cried in delight.

“Yes when I went home and found your pair in the book you gave me, I knew I had to come and find you and give you mine. I was ever so put out when I was called away to Africa. I was too embarrassed to show you the tickets.”

While Crowley stared down at the tickets in his hand, he felt a light kiss pressed to his cheek. Crowley jerked back.

“A-angel?”

“Come home Crowley, I’ll make you a nice cup of cocoa.” He took Crowley’s arm in his own and patted his hand while he leaned his head against his shoulder. “It’s us remember? Us against the world.

And it really was.


End file.
